Apparatus for the chemical transformation of gases by multiple-contact action at regulatable temperatures.



T. WOLFE. APPARATUS FOR THE CHEMICAL TRANSFORMATION OF GASES BY MULTIPLE CONTACT ACTION AT REGULATABLE TEMPERATURES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1913. 1,099,530, Patented June 9,1914.

T/IE SSE S: INVENTOR ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR THE CHEMICAL TRKNSFORMATION F GASES IBY MULTIPLE-CONTACT ACTION AT REGULA'I'ABLE rnmnnnrunns.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented June 9, 1914.

Applicationfilcd January 16, 1913. Serial No. 742,489.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Ttmonon Wou'r, citizen of the German Empire, resid-in at Leverkusen, near "Jol gne, Germany, ave invented niei'v and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Chemical Transformation Gases" by Multiple contact Action at Reghlatable 'Fem eratures, of which the folrangement; and smaller diction and 'resultin 3 increase of smooth;

lowing is a speci cation.

This hrvcfition relates to a novel apparatusfor the chemical transformation of gases by, multiple contact action at regulata-ble temperatln-es; and it comprises an ap-' fparatus made up of a plurality of compare ment containingthe contact material and a plurality of preheating or heat interchangin-g compartments arranged alternately and placed in direct communication with each other, or placed alternately .one directly above the other, and provided with supply and distribution pipes leading the gas supply to the contact chambers directly, or hrough the heat interchangers at will, for the purpose of regulating the gas temperaturesof the several compartments by exchange of heat between the incoming and outgoing gases; all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

In the transformation of gases by contact action two'separate contact chambers have heretofore been used with a preheater placed in advance of each; but such an arrangement has the disadvantaged rcquirin a complicated interposition of pipes an a plurality of separate and detached chambers i which and through which the regulation (ii the temperatures must be effected. By the prcsent novel apparatus these disadvantagcs are obviated; and a simpler regulatioh of temperatures obtained. The present apparatus has the further advantages of greatei simplicity of construction; of greater economy in construction and arloss of heat byrancss of operationan vcase of control.

The construction of the-present novel ap para-tu is such that the contest com-partments and heat interchanging compartments are superposed and arranged alternately and in direct communication with each other in series, and advantageously also inclosed by the same surrounding casing. Two or more sets of contact and heat intcrchangin compartmrents' can be thus arranged. Ills arrangement when more than two are used, however, is essentially the same as when only two are used, and accordingly in the present description and illustration the invcntion will be described with respect to two only.

The accompanying drawing illustrates somewhat diagrammatically, the novel app'aratus of the present invention.

in this illustration the counter-current preheater 1 is placedbelow, and in direct communication with, the superposed contact chamber or compartment 3; and the countercurrent preheate'r Bis placed between, and in direct communication with, the" two contact chambers 3 and 4. The chambers or compartments 4:, 2, 3 and 1 are thus superposed and arranged in series in direct "communication with each other. The mixture of gases to be transformed enter at 5. In the usual operation the valve 15'is kept continually open and byvarying the amount of opening of the valve 6- the gas mixture will ass td a greater or less extent through the apparatus 1 and around the tubes and be thus preheated to the desired extent by the hot gases issuing through the tubes from the contact chamber 3. If the valve fi-is closed all the gas will pass through the heater; whereas if this valve is opened, the amount of such gas can be decreased at will. The gas mixture coming from the preheater through the pipe 8 mixes with the gas entering directly through the valve 6 and which can'be regulated by thisvalve and passes-through the pipe 9 intothe branch pipe 19 and: through the second preheatcr B'to the contactcompartment-4 and partly also ii desiredthrough the valve ill and the pipe 12 into-the same contact compartment. The gases passing into-the preheater 2 are heated by the hot gases passing downwardly ing to a greater or less extent of the gases through the tubes from the contact compartment 4, and then pass around the upper contact compartment 4: where they mix with those at the lower temperature in the mixing chamber 14 and thence flow into the contact compartment 4 where the contact reaction takes place.

The contact reaction whereby S0 is oxidized to S0 is a react-ion accompanie by a definite but material evolution of heat. It is essential that this reaction be easilyregulatable within the temperatures which permit most advantageous operation. With the present apparatus the temperatures of the incoming gases by means of the bypass valve temperature of the reaction gases escaping from the cont-act compartment which temperature is obtained when the valve 11 is closed and all of the gas mixture passes through the preheater and around the contact compartment. Usually, however, it is desired thatthe gas mixture enter the contact compartment at a lower, temperature, in which case more or less cooler gas is admitted through the pipe 12 to give the desired definite temperature. The surrounding of the contact compartment with preheated entering gas enables the temperature of this compartment to be more easily regulated, and prevents cooling by radiation.

The provision of a mixing antechamber 14 also promotes the intimacy of mixture of the gases before entering the contact comtemperature rectly from of the hot gases flowing d1- the contact compartment 1 to the compartment 3 through the preheater 2 can be controlled by varying the amount and temperature of the cooler or partly preheated gases passing through ond preheaterQ. Thus the amount-of such gases entering through 10 intothe preheater 2 is regulableb the valve 11,1and'th'e temperatureof suc gases by the extent of the reheatingin the first preheater 1', this first pre'heater being thus sup lemental to that of the second 2. A simi'ar operation and control is effected when more than two sets of apparatus are used. Also the size, height and cubical capacity of'the diflerentcomartments can be varied, as will be obvious. The inclosure of thedifierent compartments in-a common casing and the directcommunication of the different superposed compartments with each other from the beginning of the first stage to the ables a definite temperature control to be easily obtained and maintained; and makes the apparatus simple and compact in construction and does away with .the necessity of elaborate external pipe communications and detached compartments.

This apparatus may things for the production hydrid from burner gases in th way by the aid of platinized asbestos as catalytic material.

partment. 'From the contact compartment I claim the gases escape at a higher temperature, 1. An apparatus'ffor thecontac't treatment and partly converted, through the tubes of of gases by successive stages com rising a the preheater 2 where they serve to preheat plurality of alternately superpose contact and heat interchanging compartments communicating directly with each other, means for supplying a gaseous mixture to the first of said contact compartments and meansfor the entering gases and where they are themselvescooled, and fromwhich they pass at a definite temperature into the second contact compartment 3, where the reaction; is

completed From this compartment" they (passing any-desired amount of said gaseous escape throu h the preheater 1 where they mixture through said heat interchanging become'coole again and serve to heat up the, {compartments before entrance to the first incoming gases as already desribed-Q-Th arrangement is suchthat the gaseous; Ini'xg ture, after entering either through they pi e 1001' the pipe 12 or both, is keptentire y within'the inclosing casing and passes successively and directly from one superposed compartment to the'next and'is finally discharged through the outlet 16, without cool-' ing by. radiation, and without passing through any external pipe connections. The

"contact compartment.

'2. {An apparatus for the contact treatment [of gases by two stages comprising two sets of alternately superposed contact and heat interchanging compartments communicating directly with each other, means {or supplying a gaseous mixture to the first of said contact compartments and means for passing any desired amount of said gaseous mixture throu h said heat interchanging compartments fore entrance to the first contact compartment. Y

3. In an apparatus for the contact treatment of gases by successive stages, two superp contact compartments, an intercoming gases ass preheater and then throu any term erature' up to t e-maximum can be defimtely maintained by varyin the mediate heat interchanging com artme nt amount of gases gomg'throu hthepre ea'ter communicating directly with sai contact 2 and pipe '12, supplemented y the preheat end of the lastenin the preheater 1. Also the reduction in the seccompartments, a casing surrounding the'upper of said contact compartments and my hand in the presence of two subscribing spaced therefroi n, a commnnicating Witnesses. passage leadmg rom sa1d lntermedlate compartment to the top of the upper contact THEODOR WOLF 5 compartment between the sides thereof and Witnesses:

said casing. DORA N UFER,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set ALBERT N UTER. 

